Chris Di Cesare Interview

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The Director of Xbox Marketing talks Gears of War.

By Erik Brudvig

Last week we reported on the first of three Match Made in Hell events for Gears of War where some lucky members of the general public would get to see Texas Chainsaw Massacre and play Gears of War early at a preview event. To learn more about this, future events, and the marketing of Xbox 360 in the US, we spoke with Chris Di Cesare, the Director of Xbox Marketing. He gives us details about the Match Made in Hell series of events, the holiday lineup, and maintaining a broad and varied library.

IGN: Well I guess we can start off talking about this Match Made in Hell event.

Chris Di Cesare: Well, ok, it's actually a combination of events. There are three events that we're going to be doing, kicking off with the event Wednesday night. Kind of giving you an overview of that, it's a partnership that we have with New Line around the upcoming Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning which I think opens nationwide on Friday and then as well with AMC with their theater chains. We're doing a, for lack of a better term, a chainsaw double bill where we're going to open it up where we'll have the movie play for everybody a few days before the official release as well as kind of letting people have the first hands-on play with Gears of War on the movie screen as well.

IGN: Oh, Gears of War is going to be up on the big screen?

Chris Di Cesare: Yep.

IGN: Cool. So you have two other events planned?

Chris Di Cesare: Yeah, for the end of the month we have a ghoul party in LA which we'll have at the Hollywood Cemetery. I don't know if you know about the Hollywood Cemetery but it's a working cemetery. But they also have events periodically. So, we're going to have the actual party at that event which is right around Halloween frame time so it works well. And then the last is a Fright Fest event which is partnering with Six Flags. We're going to have a private performance with Megadeath which we've partnered with over the summer with the Gigantor tour. But they became big Gears of War fans as a result of that. So they actually crafted a Gears of War song so they're going to do kind of a mini concert and premiere their new song, Gears of War, which will be part of their new album.

IGN: And when will that happen?

Chris Di Cesare: That will happen on Halloween. The other one will happen a few days prior to that, although I don't have the exact date on that. So in general, we call it the Match Made in Hell tour because, well, the one constant in all events is to have early hands-on with Gears of War before its release in early November. But then also partnering with relevant entertainment brands that fit the profile, or that edgy feel that Gears of War is all about.

IGN: So after Gears of War launches, are there any post-launch plans for big events?

Chris Di Cesare: In terms of after the launch date? Yeah, I mean we're still during all of holiday going to have a big campaign for Gears of War in terms of television and cinema and a strong retail presence, and so forth. So obviously its our big flagship title for the holiday for MGS (Microsoft Game Studio) and we want to launch it with what it deserves.

IGN: Are you going to have any sort of Gears of War bundle deals for 360? Maybe not at a lower price, but with a special edition 360 or anything?

Chris Di Cesare: No plans that I know of.

IGN: Ok, how do you think X06 went with the showing of Gears of War?

Chris Di Cesare: You know, I focus on the US. That's such a European event that I didn't get to attend this year. So I can't really speak to the specifics of that event. Did you get a chance to go?

IGN: I didn't, I had to stay back here and hold down the fort while everyone else went.

Chris Di Cesare: I kinda was in the same shoes. I've gone to one a few years back. They're always mixing it up. I think when I went it was in the French Riviera. Not bad. They know how to party over there, those Europeans.

IGN: So, aside from Gears of War, are there any plans for a US bundle this holiday season?

Chris Di Cesare: Not that I know of. That doesn't mean that it's not happening. You know, retailers might choose to do it but I really don't know of any specifics.

IGN: Right, cause it seems like the United States has really become a battleground of sorts where Sony and Nintendo are both putting out the bulk of their systems for the launch. And Microsoft has put out a bundle in Japan, there's one in Canada, there's going to be one in the UK but the US it seems is getting the short end of the stick.

Chris Di Cesare: You know, we really believe in our lineup. We have a really strong lineup of titles, both first and third party. And, you know, the momentum that Gears of War has continues to be strong so I think that what we're really doing is trying to get behind the titles. You know, bundles is one option but I think what we first want to do is launch and launch strong. This Match Made in Hell tour is kind of getting to that approach of getting gamers involved but also doing something that is fitting with the title in a time frame where it makes sense, with the whole month of October and its Halloween theme and so forth. It fits well with Gears of War and then doing stuff that is really novel and not cookie cutter. You know, getting the chance to do a kind of dual prescreening with a movie like Texas Chainsaw that really fits with Gears of War with its chainsaw weapon is an example of that.